Filtration devices and systems are employed in a wide range of applications for filtering contaminants from various process fluids. For example, it is known to pass air or similar gasses through filter assemblies that enclose filtration media such as filter paper to remove dust and other contaminants. Filters of the type used for filtering particulate matter from fluid sometimes include a filter housing having an inlet for receiving the fluid with entrained particulate matter, and an outlet for delivering the filtered fluid to a device needing fluid that is free of particulate matter. For example, a filter may be provided at the air inlet of an engine or an air compressor to remove dust, water, or other particulate matter that could cause damage to the engine or compressor if it were not removed from the air entering the engine or compressor.
The filtration media is typically enclosed within a housing that is permanently fixated within a larger overall process system that utilizes the filtered fluids. Desirably, to prevent reduced filtration or clogging, the filter assembly is constructed to facilitate the removal and replacement of the filtration media from the permanently fixated housing. In such filters, the particulate matter is typically removed by a filter element that is installed within the filter housing in such a manner that the fluid must flow through a filter element, including a filter pack of porous filter material, which removes the particulate matter from the fluid. Over time, the filter pack of the filter element becomes plugged or coated with particulate matter, necessitating removal and replacement of the filter element in order for the filter to continue in its function of supplying particulate-free fluid at the outlet of the housing.
For this reason, the filtration media is typically configured into removable filter elements or filter cartridges. To enable removal of a filter element from the filter housing, typically a clearance or gap is provided between the two components. To cause process fluids to pass through the filtration media rather than around any clearance between the filter element and filter housing, the filter element is often provided with a seal that abuts against the filter housing. One particular filter element provided with a seal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,610,117 (Gieseke), herein incorporated by reference.
In order to facilitate removal and replacement of the filter element, it is known to configure the filter housing to include a generally tubular wall section thereof, and provide a seal member mounted on the filter element that seals the juncture between an inner surface of the tubular wall section and the filter element, when the filter element is inserted into the housing, so that the fluid cannot bypass the filter element while flowing through the housing. Prior approaches to providing such sealing arrangement are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,432, to Gieseke, et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,598 B2, to Anderson, et al., herein incorporated by reference.
It is desirable to provide an improved filter element, and filter apparatus, having a filter element and sealing arrangement that are more robust than the arrangements used in prior filters. It is also desirable to provide such an improved filter element and filter apparatus in a form that can be manufactured in a more straight-forward and lower cost manner than prior filter elements and filter apparatuses.
The invention provides such a filter element and filter apparatus. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.